Dolphins (Hansard, 7 May 2003)

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will publish the critical findings of the use of dolphin friendly fishing gear; [108190]
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(2) if she will publish the results of her Department's surveys on board UK pair trawlers to establish how many dolphins were killed per 100 net hauls; and if she will make a statement. [108170]

§ Mr. Morley
Research by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) carried out in 2002 on behalf of the Department into the use of exclusion devices to reduce the by-catch of cetaceans in the offshore bass fishery has been published on my Department's website at: www://defraweb/science/project_data/Document Library/MF0733 A report on further research carried out during the 2003 spring bass fishery will be published later this year and I will ensure the hon. Member receives a copy.
Since 2000, SMRU, under contract to Defra, has carried out a number of surveys to estimate the level of by-catch in UK pelagic fisheries. Surveys of the bass fishery in 2001 and 2002 recorded 62 common dolphins caught in 182 hauls observed. This information has been published in the UK by-catch response strategy, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. George Osborne
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to prevent the death of dolphins caused by bass fishing in the English Channel. [111212]

§ Mr. Morley
Action to address the issue of dolphin and porpoise by-catch needs to be taken internationally, as fishing vessels from many countries are involved. We have been pressing for such action within the EU and have commissioned a programme of research and development to reinforce our arguments. Urgent action is needed in the pair trawl fishery for bass off south west England, which involves a substantial number of vessels from other member states. Our research programme identified a by-catch problem in this fishery and is now trialling a possible gear solution. This looks promising, and I am determined to achieve a solution by this or other means. The second urgent need is to deploy EU observers to identify and assess other problem fisheries. I have followed up action in the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, by writing to Commissioner Fischler and the French Fisheries Minister in support of effective measures. In addition, with the devolved administrations, I have issued a consultation document outlining a UK by-catch response strategy, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what progress is being made by the Secretary of State in discussion with European Commissioners to introduce an EU-wide observer programme to broaden information on by-catch of dolphins in EU fisheries; [108199]
(2) what progress the Government have made in their discussions with the French Government to carry observers on French trawlers to ascertain the numbers of dolphins being caught in French nets; [108191]
(3) what proposals she has to ask the European Commission for a seasonal closure of fisheries to protect dolphins; [108189]
(4) what estimates her Department has made of the numbers of French trawlers involved in pair-trawling for sea bass in the English Channel; and if she will make a statement; [108200]
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(5) what the Government's policy is on the banning of pair-trawling to protect dolphins in the English Channel; [108192]
(6) what plans the Government have to introduce legislation on dolphin-friendly fishing nets in time for the 2003–04 winter bass migration. [108194]

§ Mr. Morley
We highlighted the need for urgent action on the issue of cetacean by-catch at the January meeting of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers. I have also pursued this issue with Commissioner Fischler on a number of occasions, both in writing and in personal contacts.
I have recently written to the Commission to press for urgent action to widen observer coverage off the south-west coast where a number of other member states' vessels fish. I was pleased that the Commission included a commitment to take action in this area in papers produced as part of the recent reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. Commissioner Fischler has sent an encouraging reply sharing the UK's concern and agreeing a need to act at Community level, but I will follow up our recent approaches and continue to press for concrete proposals for positive action.
I have also recently written to Hervé Gaymard, the French Fisheries Minister, stressing the need for effective action, and requesting his support for measures to widen observer coverage with a view to the reduction of cetacean by-catch. Action by France is particularly important as French pair trawlers play a substantial part in the offshore bass fishery; estimates are that some 30 to 40 French pairs are involved in this fishery.
Defra has committed some £140,000 for trialling the use of exclusion devices developed by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) to reduce the by-catch of cetaceans in the offshore bass fishery. If SMRU's trials do not identify the use of the separator grids as a viable solution, we will look at other measures. I do not rule out any approach at this stage including arguing for restrictions on fishing, the gear that can be used or seasonal closures.
In the meantime, I, along with the Devolved Administrations, have issued a consultation document outlining a UK by-catch response strategy. This sets out the extent of our knowledge of by-catch in UK waters and makes proposals for action to address the by-catch problem. The document has been placed in the Library of the House.